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Mother arrested, accused of using iron, power drill to abuse her two children

DENVER — Her pictures show Kinyaite Davis took good care of herself. Police say the same cannot be said for her two children.

“This is hard on us,” said her sister, who asked not to be identified.

She described the dark secrets and severe abuse that police say started when Davis’ two children were toddlers. They are ages 11 and 12. It was the sister who turned in Davis.

“It was a hard decision doing what I did for the kids. But, at the same time, it was easier for what I’ve seen personally as far as bruises and burns,” she said.

Police said the sister said both children made “outcry to her” of extensive physical abuse over five years. On one occasion, the son claimed his mother placed an iron against his shoulder and pushed the steam button, causing a large burn.

Worse, police say the daughter still has scars from when she was 8 years old. She told them it was from the mother driving a power drill though her hand as she tried to cover her face.

Police say when the children didn’t clean house, Davis punished them by beating them with a belt. When that didn’t work, she steamed them with the iron. Neighbors never suspected anything, but the family says Denver Health and Denver Health and Human Services did.

They say they recently learned the department visited the home three times in three years and must have seen the injuries.

“They knew and they didn’t do anything about it,” the sister said.

“No child should ever suffer abuse or neglect and our child welfare team takes all allegations reported to us very seriously,” Health and Human Services spokeswoman Julie Smith said. “Because all clients are afforded the right to privacy, we are not permitted to discuss specific cases. I can say that we are committed to protecting children and building up families.”